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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24317269">Memory</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaceCloud/pseuds/RaceCloud'>RaceCloud</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Flashbacks, Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:26:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,992</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24317269</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaceCloud/pseuds/RaceCloud</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Do you remember the time you met the most important person in your life?</p><p>Watch Season 5 before reading.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adora/Catra (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>185</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Memory</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shadow Weaver marched through the ruined streets of an insignificant backwater hole. Apparently these unfortunate creatures had been putting up a valiant effort against the Horde. So, of course, it was time to snuff out their fire. Shadow Weaver wanted to get this done as quickly as possible. She did not like leaving Adora’s side for too long at her age. But Hordak insisted she lead this little assault personally. Make an example, or something to that fashion.</p><p>She sighed wearily. Getting into Hordak’s good graces was proving to be tiresome. But she was patient. She could play however long of a game as she needed to.</p><p>The smoking remains of buildings lined her path as the shouts of distant, dying-off fighting filled the air. They had to be done now. She should give the order and—</p><p>She heard something. Something… weak. Coming from a nearby hovel. Curious, Shadow Weaver entered the wrecked domicile. She had no fear of any surprise attack. Not with the power of the Black Garnet coursing through her body. Even so, this didn’t feel like an attack. Nothing moved, not even the air felt disturbed. And yet there was that sound.</p><p>Shadow Weaver glided over to a pile of rubble by a huge hole blasted into a wall and saw two bodies lying close by each other. Unmoving and cold. They were littered in debris. Must’ve died in the explosion that took out the wall.</p><p>However, there was something else moving between them. Shadow Weaver reached down and picked it up.</p><p>It was a child. Filthy, covered in dust. It blinked its eyes. Shadow Weaver thought perhaps the light was playing tricks across its face, but no. It had mismatched eyes. One blue, one yellow. It had cat-like features like rest of these creatures, light brown fur, and a spattering of freckles across its face. As it coughed, Shadow Weaver glanced down to where it had been. There was a space between one of the parents’ arms, shifted rocks and parts of the wall surrounding it. The child must’ve crawled its way out. Not an easy task for such a small thing.</p><p>Shadow Weaver looked back to the child she held by the scruff of its onesie.</p><p>How old was this babe? A year? Maybe two? Perhaps close to the same age as—</p><p>The child blinked and finally took notice of who was holding it. It looked… no, wait… <em>she</em>. She looked directing into Shadow Weaver’s mask.</p><p>“Hey,” the child said.</p><p>“Hello there,” Shadow Weaver replied.</p><p>It reached up a hand and placed it against the cold metal of her mask. At it patted the mask, its hand managed to snag a side and gently tug it away. It fell to the ground before Shadow Weaver could grab it. She hissed and raised up her other hand to either hide her face or strike the child, but then… she saw how the child reacted.</p><p>She did not scream, cry, or look even the slightest bit scared. If anything, she looked… curious. Shadow Weaver lowered her arm. The child raised up a hand and touched her face, running its tiny fingers along the patterns of her scars.</p><p>“Ow,” the child said.</p><p>“You have no idea,” Shadow Weaver responded coldly. “Or perhaps…” she glanced down to the child’s parents. “…you might.”</p><p>The child continued to run its hands across her face. Shadow Weaver brought her closer to her body and rested it in the crook of her arm.</p><p>“You are not like them, are you?” Shadow Weaver said. “No, there may be something of value in this village, after all.”</p><p>Just then, a soldier walked into the building.</p><p>“Ah, Commander Shadow Weaver, there you are! I wanted to inform of—whoa. Y-your face… I-ACK!”</p><p>Shadow Weaver summoned tendrils of darkness that swirled around the soldier, wrapping around his neck. He gasped for air, clawing at the darkness. Then there was a series of pops and loud cracking sounds, and his body fell limp. Shadow Weaver manipulated the darkness to then fling the body through the open hole in the wall, out into the street, where it smashed through the building on the other side.</p><p>The child giggled.</p><p>“Ow!” she said.</p><p>“Oh my yes,” Shadow Weaver agreed, leaning down to pick up her mask and placing it back onto her face. “I wonder what these poor unfortunates called you?”</p><p>Shadow Weaver dug around the house a bit. Looking inside drawers and cupboards for any identification. Nothing.</p><p>“It appears these miserable wretches have left you with nothing,” Shadow Weaver said. “No matter.”</p><p>Still holding the child, she stepped out on the street.</p><p>“Commander Shadow Weaver!” It was one of the underlings she didn’t bother knowing the name of, but she was wearing a Force Captain pin.</p><p>“Yes, Force Captain?”</p><p>“We’re almost done here and—Ah. Another orphan? Would you like me to put it with the others?”<br/>“No,” Shadow Weaver said. “I believe I’ll be taking this one myself.”</p><p>The Force Captain shrugged.</p><p>“As you command.”</p><p>As Shadow Weaver held the child, getting a feel for her weight, she thought that perhaps there might be a record of the child somewhere else in this community. Some information about its parents, family, and history.</p><p>“Hm,” She hummed to herself. “Force Captain, I want you to burn this place to the ground. Leave nothing behind.”</p><p>Shadow Weaver turned and strolled away.</p><p>“Yes, ma’am. And how would you like us to transport the prisoners?”</p><p>Shadow Weaver stopped.</p><p>“Did I not just say to leave nothing behind?”</p><p>Without waiting for a reply, Shadow Weaver continued on her way to her transport vehicle.</p><p>“I shall have to think of a name for you on the way back home, my child,” she cooed, holding out a finger for the little cat-like creature to hold onto to.</p><p>Shadow Weaver held the child’s attention closely. The small thing didn’t look back.</p><p>The smoke rose high over the ruined town.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Shadow Weaver! Thank goodness,” Octavia huffed as the dark sorceress entered her domicile. “That kid is a little nightmare. I’d like to never watch over it again while you’re gone if that—what is that?”</p><p>“None of your concern,” Shadow Weaver said, coolly sweeping past Octavia.</p><p>“I don’t like the looks of it,” Octavia said disgusted.</p><p>“Then it is most fortunate that it is none of your concern. <em>Leave</em>.”</p><p>“Yes… commander,” Octavia said with a weary salute. Shadow Weaver walked over to the nursery door. A child having their own room like this was unheard of before Adora. But Shadow Weaver demanded it. Adora was her ward, after all. She would be raised here until she was old enough for the barracks.</p><p>And as for the new one? This child would be a test case. There was something about her, Shadow Weaver could admit that much. But what, exactly? She shrugged inwardly. At any rate, Adora could use the company. A child raised in isolation could have unfortunate outcomes on her metal stability. Socialization was a crucial part of growing up.</p><p>
  <em>Let us see what Catra has to offer.</em>
</p><p>Shadow Weaver opened up the door, revealing Adora playing with a toy sword, attacking a tower of blocks. Shadow Weaver had acquired the toys, deemed them necessary to help in Adora’s development. The little blonde child looked up at the sound of the door opening and dropped the sword, waddling awkwardly over to Shadow Weaver.</p><p>“Sh-adow W-weava!” she cried out happily.</p><p>“Hello, Adora!” Shadow Weaver greeted her ward cheerfully. “And how have you been?”</p><p>“I good!” Adora said. “I pl-play-yed the blocks with Oc-ta-vi-a!”</p><p>“Did you now? That’s nice,” Shadow Weaver said, walking closer to her ward. “Come here, I have something to show you.”</p><p>Shadow Weaver kneeled down and waited for Adora to come close enough to turn what she held in her arms to face her.</p><p>“This is Catra.”</p><p>Catra had been hiding her face but turned when nudged by Shadow Weaver.</p><p>The two girls looked at each other. Adora plainly and in full. Catra was still half-hiding her face.</p><p>“Catwa?” Adora said questioningly.</p><p>“Yes, that’s right,” Shadow Weaver said. “Now, Catra, I want you to say hi to Adora. Can you do that for me? Hm? Can you say hi to Adora?”</p><p>Catra looked apprehensive, but she gulped.</p><p>“H-hey, ‘Dora…”</p><p>“Nooooo,” Shadow Weaver said, drawing the word out. “Her name is Adora. Repeat after me. Ah. Come on, ah.”</p><p>“Ah,” Catra repeated.</p><p>“Dor.”</p><p>“Dor.”</p><p>“Ah.”</p><p>“Ah.”</p><p>“Ah-dor-ah.”</p><p>“Ah-dor-ah.”</p><p>Catra looked back to the other girl.</p><p>“Hey A-dor-a.”</p><p>“Very good, Catra,” Shadow Weaver praised. “Now, Adora, can you say hi to Catra? Adora?”</p><p>But Adora wasn’t listening. She stared transfixed at Catra’s face.</p><p>“Pretty…” Adora whispered, looking at Catra’s mismatched eyes.</p><p>Shadow Weaver chuckled. “Yes, I suppose.”</p><p>Adora stepped closer and put her hands on Catra’s temples, groping her face, looking closely at the colors of her eyes. Catra fidgeted, but let the other girl rub her face.</p><p>“Catwa pretty…” Adora said, smiling at her new friend.</p><p>Catra began to fidget more as Adora continued her rough exploration. Eventually something snapped and Catra hissed, lashing out and scratching Adora’s hand. The young blonde girl shot her hands back with a startled cry of pain.</p><p>“NO!” Shadow Weaver screamed, hopping up quickly to separate the two. “NO! THAT WAS NOT OKAY!”</p><p>She rushed over to a penned-off area of the nursery. Shadow Weaver hastily put Catra behind the crisscrossed bars.</p><p>“What were you thinking, you little monster!?” Shadow Weaver snapped. “How dare you hurt her! I should have you declawed, you—”</p><p>Just then, Shadow Weaver heard the monitor in the next room come alive.</p><p>“Shadow Weaver,” dripped the menacing voice of Hordak. “Where are you?”</p><p>“I am here, my lord!” Shadow Weaver called loudly, staring daggers at Catra, who now looked scared and confused.</p><p>“Come before me. Now.”</p><p>“My lord, I need just a minute to—”</p><p>“It is NOT a request,” Hordak hissed, the monitor shutting off.</p><p>Shadow Weaver scoffed ruefully. She glared at Catra.</p><p>“Stay there!” she commanded. “And away from Adora!” She turned and glided away, pausing briefly to look over Adora’s hand. No real damage. The upper layer of skin was a little torn, no bleeding. “I will be back, my child.” That final goodbye was said sweetly, and Shadow Weaver rushed out the exit, locking the child-safe nursery behind her.</p><p>Adora sniffed in confusion and lingering pain. She had no idea what was happening. Shadow Weaver came back, she had something called a Catra with her, the Catra was pretty, but also kinda mean. Her hand hurt. If this Catra was mean, then maybe she shouldn’t—</p><p>Just then Adora heard crying coming from the penned-off area. She turned to look. The area was separated via a four-foot tall wall and she couldn’t see clearly inside from where she was. Adora waddled over to the bars and stuck her face close to them.</p><p>“C-Catwa?” she said.</p><p>Catra was laying on the ground in a fetal position, facing away from the bars.</p><p>“C-Catwa!” Adora demanded. “C-Catwa in!”</p><p>“No!” the other girl shouted. “Go away, A-dor-a! I hate you!”</p><p>Adora then thought of something that Shadow Weaver would sometimes say to her when she cried.</p><p>“Catwa, where hurt?” Adora asked concerned. It was actually ‘Where are you hurt’ but ‘where hurt’ was the best Adora could manage.</p><p>“Catwa!” Adora shouted again, stamping her foot. “Where hurt!”</p><p>But Catra was quiet. Adora pouted. She did not care if Catra was mean. If she was hurt, Adora wanted to see where. Shadow Weaver had told her that hurts need to be looked at. Medicine was yucky, but it made Adora feel better. Catra must need medicine if she was crying. Adora would need medicine for Catra, but first she needed to see what was hurting Catra.</p><p>Adora tried to think of a way to get through the bars. She tried pushing her face through, but that never worked. She tried climbing, but her arms were too weak. She looked around for something, anything, and then her eyes caught sight of a something.</p><p>High atop the four-foot wall was a panel with a red light currently shining bright. Adora knew that whatever that light was, the adults touched it, and then the gate opened. She waddled over and tried to touch the light, but she was too short. She looked around the room for something to reach it. Close by was a toy archer with a fox-face, holding its weapon in its hand. Adora reached down and grabbed the weapon, ripping it from the archer’s strung grip.</p><p>“Soh-wee Mr. Fox,” Adora apologized, patting the archer. With the weapon in hand, she reached up and tried tapping the panel. She missed several times before she finally managed to hit the red light. It shut off and right below it, a blue light glimmered on. Adora smile and put down her tool.</p><p>“Thank you, Mr. Bow,” she said politely, patting the discarded tool. She pushed hard against the gate, but it would not move. Adora slammed against it, again and again. The noise she was making made Catra turn over to look at her.</p><p>The feline girl sniffed and wiped her nose against her arm.</p><p>“T-try pull,” Catra suggested.</p><p>Adora stopped.</p><p>“I know,” Adora replied as if it were super obvious, pulling the gate wide open. Catra turned back over and sniffed again. Adora walked over and sat down in front of where Catra lay.</p><p>“Catwa…” Adora said quietly. “Where hurt?”</p><p>Catra whimpered and turned the other way.</p><p>“CAT-WA!” Adora shouted. The other girl stiffened and looked back to Adora. She looked mad. “WHERE HURT!”</p><p>Catra’s eyes welled up with tears and she pointed to Adora’s hand.</p><p>“OW!” Catra shouted back and turned around quickly into another fetal position.</p><p>Adora looked confused at her hand. Her skin was ripped like paper. Catra… had hurt her, hadn’t she? When Adora heard Catra crying, she had forgotten all about her own injury. It didn’t even hurt anymore.</p><p>Adora desperately crawled over to the other girl and shoved her hand into Catra’s face.</p><p>“No!” Adora insisted. “No, not ow! No hurt! See, no hurt!”</p><p>Catra sniffed again and looked at Adora’s hand.</p><p>“L-look hurt…”</p><p>Adora shook her head.</p><p>“Is not!”</p><p>Catra wiped her eyes and sat up, Adora moving her hand to stay centimeters away from Catra’s face. Catra sniffed the hand hesitantly and then licked it.</p><p>Adora jerked her hand away quickly and giggled.</p><p>“EEEWWWW!” she said. Catra looked confused and sad again. Adora’s smile faded. “Why do that?”</p><p>“M-makes ow’s better…” Catra said. Adora looked at her quizzically, not really believing what Catra was saying. But she seemed sure, so Adora shrugged and stuck out her hand.</p><p>Okay,” Adora said.</p><p>Catra looked at her and then back at her hand. She stuck out her tongue again and began to lick Adora’s hand. It was gross, but it was making Catra feel better, so it was okay. Her tongue was soft and ticklish.</p><p>“Hahaha! S-soft!” Adora giggled.</p><p>Catra looked up at Adora.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“Catwa soft!” Adora said, reeling happily, wiping her saliva-covered hand on the blanket spread out across the area.</p><p>“S-soft?” Catra asked hesitantly.</p><p>“Mmm-hmmm!” Adora said. Then, very slowly, she lifted her hands to Catra’s face again. Catra went stiff for a moment, expecting the same hard groping as before, but found Adora’s touch to be much kinder this time. She didn’t hold Catra’s temples as before, instead she had her hands on the sides of Catra’s face, slowly moving her fingers in the fur she found there.</p><p>“Catwa soft…” Adora repeated and she put her forehead against Catra’s, rubbing it affectionately against Catra’s furry face.</p><p>“Catwa hurt?” Adora asked again.</p><p>“No-no,” Catra said.</p><p>“Good!” Adora declared, still holding her head close to Catra. “Good Catwa!”</p><p>“A-dor-a…” Catra said slowly. She pulled away and looked at the other girl clearly for the first time. Adora still held onto Catra’s face and smiled broadly.</p><p>Catra liked her hair. And her smile.</p><p>“Catwa pretty and soft!” Adora said.</p><p>For the first time in Catra’s life, she felt… a something. Something she had heard others do in her village before. It meant… good. Happy. A good, happy thing. She remembered hearing it close to her ear, laying safely atop someone in a bed. Someone… they were sleeping. Wouldn’t wake up. She had to go. Then… Shad-ow Wea-va. And now A-dor-a.</p><p>From deep inside Catra, a low rumble began to emerge. She closed her eyes… and purred.</p><p>“Ah, huh, um!” Adora said excitedly. “Catra humming!” She pressed her head against Catra’s chest and hummed back. “Good humming!”</p><p>“Y-yeah?” Catra asked, confused.</p><p>“Yep! Good humming!”</p><p>Catra smiled weakly and wiped her eyes again, they finally felt clear of tears.</p><p>“Catwa soft…” Adora said again, this time slowly and with some kind of build-up. “…soft… like… pillow!” With that, Adora threw her arms around Catra and tackled her to the ground.</p><p>“Waahhh!” Catra exclaimed in surprise. “A-dor-a no!”</p><p>“Adora yes!” the young girl shot back. “Catwa good pillow!” Then Adora released her and grabbed her hands. “Catwa play!?”</p><p>Catra wasn’t sure if she should, but she did like to play.</p><p>“Y-yes…?”</p><p>“YES!” Adora shouted and stood up, pulling Catra alongside her. “I-I ha-h-have toys!”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah! See!?”</p><p>Adora then took Catra to the center of the room and sat her down. She brought everything she could in the room over to where Catra was, saying what everything was very quickly, piling it all up right in front of her. Catra nodded in approval.</p><p>“Good toys!” Catra declared when the pile was finished.</p><p>“Told you!” Adora said. “We share!”</p><p>Catra looked stunned.</p><p>“R-really?”</p><p>Adora nodded enthusiastically. “We share toys!”</p><p>Catra beamed and dove into the pile, grabbing something that looked nice.</p><p>“Except!” Adora shouted. Catra shot back out of the pile, looking embarrassed. “Except… this!” Adora leaned over and grabbed a small fake sword. “Sword mine!”</p><p>Catra looked unimpressed. “Swords dumb.” Adora looked devastated.</p><p>“Swords not dumb!” she pouted. Catra took another look.</p><p>“Maybe… not?” she offered. That seemed to restore Adora’s happiness as she stood up and began swinging her sword wildly around the room.</p><p>“Take that, Princess! HI-YA!” Adora shouted defiantly.</p><p>“Princess?” Catra asked.</p><p>“Mmmm-hmm! Princesses mean! We fight them!”</p><p>“Oh… okay. I fight with…” She looked around in the pile and grabbed something that looked promising, but as she pulled, a part of it came loose in one long stringy cord. Catra immediately jumped away from it.</p><p>Adora looked puzzled.</p><p>Catra slapped at the string again, testing its mettle. She then leaped onto the string and grappled with it in battle.</p><p>Adora laughed.</p><p>“Catwa silly!”</p><p>The two got lost in the world of make-believe, Adora sharing all of her favorite toys and games. Once Catra opened up, Adora found her to be really great at play time. And wrestling. She found that out when Catra suddenly jumped onto Adora and the two began to roll around the room, giggling and grappling for control. When they finished tossing, Catra sat on top of Adora and raised her hands high.</p><p>“Yes! I win!” Catra shouted victoriously, laughing, and feeling truly good for the first time since leaving her village. She leaned down and pressed her head against Adora’s.</p><p>“Adora nice… and soft!”</p><p>Adora giggled.</p><p>“Catwa softest!”</p><p>“WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE!?”</p><p>The two jumped as Shadow Weaver came speeding into the room.</p><p>“I told you to stay away from her!” Shadow Weaver snapped, reaching down and pulling Catra away. Catra looked back at Adora for only a moment. But in that moment, Adora saw the tears begin to well in Catra’s eyes.</p><p>She latched herself onto Catra’s legs.</p><p>“No!” She yelled. “Catwa stay!”</p><p>“Let go of her, child!” Shadow Weaver said. “She’s dangerous!”</p><p>“Catwa stay!” Adora cried out again.</p><p>“ADORA, NO!” Shadow Weaver bellowed; her voice filled with the magic of the Black Garnet. Adora jumped and a little fear entered her eyes, but she still held onto Catra.</p><p>“This creature is dangerous,” Shadow Weaver explained, her temper subsiding. “She will hurt you if she stays! Do you understand what I’m saying!?”</p><p>Adora blinked and looked down at her hand, to the mild injury Catra gave her.</p><p>“Yes, that’s right,” Shadow Weaver said. “She hurt you. And if she stays… she will never stop hurting you.”</p><p>Adora looked up from her hand at her new friend. Catra looked so scared. She was crying. Adora knew what Shadow Weaver was saying was true.</p><p>…But Catra was crying. And Adora had the right medicine.</p><p>Adora’s grip tightened.</p><p>“Catw… <em>Catra stay</em>.”</p><p>Shadow Weaver looked down at her ward. Her eyes narrowed.</p><p>“…Indeed?”</p><p>Adora’s determination to keep her friend never wavered. She held on tight.</p><p>Shadow Weaver looked down at Adora, to Catra, and then back to Adora.</p><p>After a moment, Shadow Weaver released Catra, who fell towards Adora and into her small arms. The two hugged each other tightly.</p><p>“Very well,” Shadow Weaver said. “But you must understand something, Adora.”</p><p>Shadow Weaver kneeled down and looked both of the girls dead in their eyes.</p><p>“This creature, your precious Catra… she is weak. And fearful. If you are to keep her, you must be strong. And you must be brave. So she does not tear you down with her.”</p><p>Adora nodded slowly.</p><p>“Promise?” Shadow Weaver said. Adora knew what the word meant and nodded again.</p><p>“Promise,” she echoed.</p><p>Shadow Weaver diverted her attention to Catra. She glared at the creature and regretted ever seeing anything in her other than the weakness that clearly infested her to her core. She pointed a finger at her.</p><p>“No hurting Adora!” Shadow Weaver commanded. Catra sniffed weakly.</p><p>“N-no hurt A-dor-a…” she said sadly.</p><p>“Ever!” Shadow Weaver added with a snap. “Promise?”</p><p>“P-pwomise?” Catra repeated the word, but she did not know it. Regardless, it seemed to satisfy Shadow Weaver and she patted Catra affectionately on the head.</p><p>“Good girl,” she cooed darkly. She stood up and brushed herself off. “But we’ll see how long it takes before you do end up breaking that promise…”</p><p>Shadow Weaver turned away to the door.</p><p>“Please, continue your play time. I have work to do…” She exited the nursery, locking the door behind herself.</p><p>The two girls continued to hold onto one another. Catra started to cry again.</p><p>“A-dor-a…” she pleaded. “Scared…”</p><p>“No,” Adora relied. “Catra good… Catra is good…”</p><p>They stayed like that until they finally relaxed enough to lay down and drift off into sleep.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“…so let’s just say that’s the last time either of us went to that harvest festival,” Netossa finished.</p><p>“It was the last one either of us ever had to go to,” Spinnerella corrected.</p><p>Netossa grinned.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re right. Went on our first date after the next Princess Alliance meeting. Funny how that turned out.”</p><p>They shared a laugh with Adora in the warm light of a midsummer day. Catra was resting a hand against her chin and slowly spinning the spoon in her teacup. Her mind wandered to other things she could be doing.</p><p>“Have you ever been to a harvest festival, Catra?” Spinnerella asked. When Catra did not respond, she repeated her question, again to no reply.</p><p>Adora coughed and jabbed Catra in the ribs with an elbow. Her head shot up, almost spilling her tea.</p><p>“Hmm, yeah?” Catra asked, confused. “I don’t have any of… whatever you were asking for.”</p><p>Netossa and Spinnerella exchanged a sour look. Adora smiled awkwardly and laughed.</p><p>“Oh, Catra! You kidder!” Adora tried.</p><p>Catra saw the reaction she was getting and sighed.</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry,” she said. “I just don’t care about festivals. Okay?”</p><p>“The festival wasn’t the important part,” Netossa said frustrated. “It was the story about how we first met!”</p><p>“Then I guess I don’t care about that either!” Catra said without thinking. Then she quickly course-corrected. “Not that it doesn’t matter! I just… sorry.”</p><p>Netossa pinched the bridge of her nose, while Spinnerella calmly laid a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“We appreciate that you’re trying, Catra,” Spinnerella said. “And we don’t expect you to be a good brunch guest right away.”</p><p>“I didn’t even know what brunch was until yesterday when Adora told me about this,” Catra confessed. “And I still don’t get it.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Spinnerella agreed. “We’ll get you to care eventually. One of these days.” She finished off her reassurance with a wink.</p><p>“Maybe… we should have tried started talking about you first,” Netossa said. “You are our guests. It was kinda rude of us to just start jabbering on about ourselves.”</p><p>“Oh my, yes, Darling!” Spinnerella agreed. “It was incredibly rude of us.” She turned her attention back to Catra. “So, please, tell us about yourself.”</p><p>Catra blinked. She looked at Adora for help. She reached over and held Catra’s hand supportively, gesturing back to their hosts.</p><p>“Like… what?” Catra asked, unsure of what to say.</p><p>“How’s about… you tell us how you two first met?” Spinnerella suggested.</p><p>Catra and Adora looked at each other. It was the first time either of them had really considered that subject. They each thought back as far as they could, but neither could recall the memory.</p><p>“I… don’t know,” Adora said. “I don’t ever remember us meeting. Catra’s just always… been there. I don’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t have her.”</p><p>“Awwww,” Spinnerella and Netossa said in unison.</p><p>“We wouldn’t know anyway,” Catra said. “Shadow Weaver took us in when we were babies. She had Adora first, she made sure we both knew that. Then I came later, and then… who knows.”</p><p>“Okay,” Netossa went on, “How’s about what you guys do first remember?”</p><p>“Yes!” Spinnerella. “What a fascinating question! What’s your first memory of each other?”</p><p>Adora let her mind turn back. She could remember fractions before Catra. A window with moons outside of it, the field… but after that was a bit of a jumble.</p><p>“I think…” Adora said. “I remember us running through the halls of the Fright Zone. Catra jumped off something high and fell. She yelled. I ran down to her. Remember that, Catra?”</p><p>“Yeah, I remember that,” Catra confirmed. “I broke my wrist.” She twirled her wrist for emphasis.</p><p>“Oh, you poor thing,” Spinnerella said comfortingly. “What happened next?”</p><p>Adora narrowed her eyes, trying to recall. “I don’t know. I just remember holding her wrist and watching her trying not cry.”</p><p>“I’m sure Shadow Weaver came by eventually and told me off for almost getting you hurt,” Catra said grumpily.</p><p>“She was the worst,” Adora said. “Even when we were kids, she never let up on Catra. It made me feel so…” Adora reached over and squeezed Catra’s hand again. Catra placed her hand atop Adora’s and smiled thankfully. “But we definitely would’ve known each other before then. I’m glad my first memory of us was us just… beings together, having fun. I mean it went really badly, but then that’s kind of our thing anyway.”</p><p>“So is that your first memory too then, Catra?” Netossa asked.</p><p>Catra pulled away from Adora and leaned back, crossing her arms defensively.</p><p>“N-no…” she said. “At least, I don’t think so.”</p><p>The three other brunchers all leaned in closer. Catra gulped and leaned forward, clasping her hands together on the table, looking through her mind’s eye into the past.</p><p>“I remember… Adora.”</p><p>The other three looked at Catra expectantly.</p><p>“I mean, I remember Adora’s face. That’s the first thing I can remember.”</p><p>“My face?” Adora chuckled smugly. “What am I doing?”</p><p>“I don’t know, you’re just there!” Catra explained exasperated. “And you’re really close and you’re… holding my face. You’re looking at me and you’re holding my face and that’s my first memory, okay, so there it is.”</p><p>“Wait,” Spinnerella said. “That’s your first memory… period? Or just of Adora?”</p><p>“I guess… it’s my first memory… period.”</p><p>Spinnerella hummed with barely-contained ‘hnnngg.’</p><p>“How young was I?” Adora asked, curious.</p><p>“I don’t know… young? Really young, you’re just a kid! It’s kinda fuzzy.”</p><p>“Did I look anything like this?”</p><p>Adora then leaned over and gently cupped Catra’s face in her hands. She brought her girlfriend towards her and touched their foreheads together while still looking into each other’s eyes. The mental imagine Catra held in her mind of a very young Adora holding her face bled into what she saw now. Catra reached up and place a hand atop Adora’s.</p><p>“Yeah…” she whispered, confirming Adora’s question.</p><p>Catra began to purr, deeper than when she did the first time Adora made her purr all those years ago, but it still held the same meaning. The same instinct whenever Adora was close by.</p><p>Eventually Catra started to feel uncomfortable and looked up to see Netossa and Spinnerella with stars in their eyes, staring at them being cute together. Catra blushed deeply and pulled away, coughing nervously. Adora blushed too, but smiled warmly at seeing Catra so embarrassed.</p><p>“So, yeah, whatever,” Catra concluded. “That’s my first memory.”</p><p>“That is soooo… cute!” Spinnerella declared, clapping her hands in joy.</p><p>“That’s it, I’m leaving!” Catra shouted, standing up and walking away.</p><p>“Oh come on!” Netossa called out playfully. “Tell us about the first time you two kissed! Was it at the Heart? Or did you two cozy up in space~”</p><p>“Well, actually, when we were about thirteen…” Adora started to say, but Catra whipped back around and grabbed Adora’s jacket, pulling her along.</p><p>“NOPE!” Catra said.</p><p>“Thanks for the brunch!” Adora said, laughing as she was dragged away.</p><p>“We’ll catch the end of that story next time!” Netossa said.</p><p>“NO YOU WON’T!” Catra shouted angrily.</p><p>“Yes we will~” Spinnerella said in a sing-song kind of voice.</p><p>Catra and Adora sped off far away from the brunch. Catra hoping to make this meal a memory and forget it as soon as possible. Adora hoping to remember this moment, along with every moment spent with Catra, good or bad, for the rest of her life.</p>
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